//------------------------------// // Chapter Nine // Story: Love or Power? Which Will You Choose? // by atomicpuffin //------------------------------// Flash sat amused as he watched Discord pace around the library. The king was grumbling under his breath, completely ignoring Flash. The stallion rolled his eyes and looked down at the checklist in front of him. Deciding to wait patiently for the king to come back to reality, Flash was pretty sure that whatever was on the king's mind had nothing to do with the ball preparations. "What did she mean…." Discord grumbled and it confirmed Flash's suspicions. He sighed and sat the list on the table and looked up at Discord's confused face. "Are you going to tell me what is on your mind or are you going to continue on as you are now?" Flash chuckled and Discord looked over shocked, as if he had forgotten the stallion was there. Discord groaned and put his head in his hands, a small explosion went off over the top. Flash chuckled again and waited. "Five nights ago...as I was dropping Fluttershy off at her room...she...she told me I may not have much longer to wait…every night since then I've tried to get her to answer that question. Nothing...it's like she had never said it!" Discord whispered and it made Flash's eyes widen. "You mean she...she may have already accept your offer, but won't tell you?" Flash whispered and Discord growled. He began to pace again and stroked his beard in thought. Flash smiled and picked up the checklist again, it seems things were going better than the king could have expected... "I don't know. These last five days have been like a dream. Every day and night we're learning more about the other. Did you know she is afraid of heights? She was never the strongest flyer and it makes it hard for her to be up high. Every time she trust me with a new bit of information I hoard it like a dragon's treasure. "I feel like I'm so close. Tomorrow night is the ball! Tomorrow night I will have my queen...but then again...how can I be sure she feels like I do. Maybe it would be better if she doesn't love me. After all...monsters don't get happy endings..." Flash looked up from the list at this and frowned at his friend. Discord had a strange look in his eyes and it was one that Flash recognized too well. He glared at his friend and hissed through clenched teeth, "No...you are not going to do this again…" Discord's ears flattened and he turned his back on Flash. Flash got out of his seat and flew in front of his friend. Too many times, he had seen that look and it always ended the same. Flash felt his anger boiling to the surface, all those other times were nothing compared to now. He couldn't let Discord ruin his chance at love. "You are not going to sabotage yourself again! Every time you get close to happiness you do this! You withdraw into yourself and put up this 'monster' shield! Not this time! You love that mare and…" "And that's the problem…" Discord whispered, cutting him off. Flash frowned and Discord put his paw on Flash's shoulder and pushed the stallion out of his way as he walked to the door. Flash stared at Discord's back, unsure of what to say, he had to stop him from walking away. He had to stop him before he ruined his chances again. Discord stopped with his claws on the handle of the door. He stood there for a minute then turned to stare back at Flash. It broke the stallion's heart to see tears in his brother's eyes. "I love her more than she'll ever know...but...if I love her...why would I condemn her to a life with a monster?" Before Flash could argue Discord opened the door and left the library. Flash landed on the ground and groaned to himself. It was always like this, no matter what he said… His head shot up as he glared at the library door. NO! Not this time! He wouldn't let Discord do this again, this was Flash's last chance to bring his king into the light. He knew that with Fluttershy's help, Discord would finally cease to be the shadow king. Discord had to finally accept that he could be loved by others, it was time for the king to let his heart heal. He galloped out of the library, but not after Discord. He ran down the hall, he had to fix this and there was only one way. He knew he couldn't do this alone though and would need an ally in this battle. He only hoped she would know what to do, he knocked on the door and waited. Happy when the mare he needed opened the door. He whispered, "I need your help…" Discord was laying high up in his tree. He looked out over his kingdom, he could hear some of the ponies moving around, doing their daily routines. He would often sit on his balcony and watch the activity below, always careful to stay out of sight. He looked up at the sky and whispered, "Heavens help me...what should I do?" He frowned and pulled a leaf off the branch and began to tear it into tiny pieces as he thought to himself. I love her so much...but that doesn't change what I am. How could I have let my desires blind me? I can't be selfish like this...all I've been thinking about is how much I want her. Not once did I think of the consequences of keeping her here with me. She would forever be married to a monster…a monster...how could I have thought she would love me when I look...like this? He looked down at his hands and sighed, opening them and letting the torn up leaf float away in the breeze. He laid his head on his arms and closed his eyes, instantly she was there. Smiling up at him and laughing as she stared lovingly at him. She moved closer and nuzzled his chest, making his heart race. He made her look up at him and asked her, "Fluttershy...do you love me?" "Yes Discord...always…" He shook his head ridding himself of the fantasy. He growled and startled some birds that were nesting above him. He had to do the right thing…the right thing for her. "I have to let her go…no...I have to make her go..." Twilight looked at her friend and smiled. Fluttershy was skipping around the room and humming to herself as she did her chores. The mare had been getting brighter as each day passed and it was apparent that she was falling fast. "So I take it things are going well?" Twilight giggled at her friend. Fluttershy's face lit up and the mare seemed to be glowing. "Oh Twilight! I think I'm ready...I already thought I was falling in love with him before I was just afraid to admit it. That's why I've put off telling him. After what he told me and how kind he's been this week...did you know that he played the piano for me last night? Then without realizing it I began to sing and he looked completely awe-struck. I was so embarrassed and he told me to never hide such a gift away again. He's so sweet and caring, I see the respect his servants give him, even if he doesn't...I know what kind of stallion he is and I...I love him so much!" Twilight shouted in joy and tackled her friend to the ground. She smiled down at Fluttershy and asked, "When are you going to tell him?" "Oh...I don't know...I was thinking about maybe...tonight...but oh...I don't know if I can..." Twilight frowned and whispered, "You can't be afraid to tell him how you feel. He's been so patient in waiting and it would be cruel to make him wait any longer." "Oh that reminds me Twilight! What about Flash? Are you going to tell him how you feel?" Fluttershy asked and Twilight blushed. She had been meeting Flash in the library 'on accident' each night as Fluttershy left to see Discord. The two had been getting closer each night and he had even stolen a few more kisses from her. She had told Fluttershy that she was in love with him and the two mares were overjoyed that they had found love at the same time. "Hmm...tell you what. If you promise to tell Discord tonight...I'll tell Flash." They hugged each other laughing and promising that by morning they will have confessed their love. They were still laughing until they heard the door in the sitting room bang open. They turned confused as the door to their room was thrown open as well and a panting Cadence was standing in the doorway. Her eyes widened and she ran to Fluttershy. "Fluttershy! Come quick! There's an emergency that only you can help with!" "What's…" Fluttershy started to say, but Cadence grabbed her shoulders and pulled her towards the door. "Come on there's no time! There's this cute, fluffy bunny trapped on the roof! He can't get down and he's almost fallen several times!" "WHAT!" Fluttershy shouted and began to race after Cadence as they charged towards the roof. Twilight stood in the hallway scratching her head as she watched them run off. "How in the hay could a rabbit have gotten up to the roof?" Discord sat in his chambers going over several documents. Most were for repairs that needed to be made. As he glanced over them he was also writing a list placing the orders in two categories. One was for repairs that could be made manually and the other was ones that had to be fixed with his magic. He reached the end of the list and sighed, he removed his reading glasses. Something that even Flash didn't know about. Because of his different sized pupils he couldn't read without a pair to even out the words, making them readable for the chimera. "Well that didn't take nearly as long as I hoped it would…" He grumbled. He had hoped to distract himself from what he would have to do. He was now determined to turn Fluttershy away from him, as much as it would hurt, it was the best thing to do. He sighed and ran his paw over his face in frustration. The door to his chambers burst open and Flash stood there looking frantic. "What in the-Flash?" "Discord quick! It's Fluttershy!" The stallion shouted and Discord's blood turned to ice. He jumped out of his chair and flew to his captain, grabbing his shoulders and shouting, "What happened!? Where is she?" "She's on the roof! I don't know how she got up there or why, but...Discord she's stuck on top of one of the towers and has almost fallen several times! We have to hurry! She can't use her wings!" Discord dropped the stallion and instantly teleported himself to the roof. He felt pure terror racing through his blood as he thought of her falling off his roof. She was a pegasus so she could fly, but if she was too scared he knew she wouldn't be able to...He had to get there before that happened! "Fluttershy!" He shouted the minute he flashed onto the roof. His eyes narrowed as he realized that she wasn't even up here. The door leading to the staircase was thrown open and he turned to see her galloping onto the roof, like a demon was chasing her. She skidded to a halt when she saw him standing there and she looked around confused as he had just done. "Discord? But...but...where's the bunny?" She whispered and he frowned, even more confused than before. "Bunny? What are you talking about? I thought you were stuck up here?" Fluttershy looked up at him and tilted her head, looking even more confused. "Stuck? I was just in my room with Twilight when...wait so there isn't a bunny trapped up here?" Discord looked around and then it hit him, he growled low to himself as he thought. Oh that meddlesome...I see what you're trying to do Flash...and it won't work. "I'm afraid my dear that we were both misinformed of the situation." She turned back to him and frowned, then she smiled sweetly at him and the smile made his heart stop. "Oh well...I'm glad that there's no trapped bunny...and...and that you're up here. I have something I needed to tell you…" She turned her bright eyes up to meet his as she said this and the look she was giving him was one he had dreamed of...until today. Now seeing that look only made his heart hurt, knowing that he couldn't let her say it. "I'm afraid that I have something I need to tell you too…" He whispered and frowned at her. She continued to smile at him and the hopeful look in her eyes only made his heart ache. He opened his mouth to speak when the strangest sound filled the roof. It was the sound of violins playing, yet there was no evidence of any instruments. Fluttershy looked around and then blushed and smiled up at him. "Is this your way of asking me for a dance? That's something we haven't done yet..." She giggled and he groaned. He glared at the surrounding area, wondering how in the hell Flash was pulling this off. "No I...Fluttershy I need to...well...one dance won't hurt anything…" He muttered the last part as he stared down at her. She was so beautiful that he couldn't help it, he smiled at her and held out his claws. "If my lady will allow me this dance, I would be honored." He whispered and she blushed even more and giggled as she placed her hoof in his claws. He smiled as he pulled her up onto her hind legs and wrapped his lion arm around her waist. It was difficult for him to balance her, since she was so much smaller than him. He managed to make it work as he pulled her with him in step with the music. She smiled up at him and his heart melted. She fit against him so perfectly, Like we were made for each other… He pushed the thought away, he couldn't let anything break his resolve. He had to tell her that they couldn't be together. That he couldn't let her throw her life away to be with him. "Fluttershy I…" He began and she looked up at him, his breath caught in his throat as he stared into her gorgeous eyes. He felt himself falling under their spell and whispered, "You are so beautiful my darling…" She blushed and turned her eyes back down to stare at his chest. She whispered, "You look really handsome too Discord...even in regular attire. I don't think I've seen you in formal wear since that first tour of the garden." "I prefer to be comfortable. Formal wear is always hard for me to move in because of my different limbs. So I prefer material that allows me the freedom to move about." She giggled at this and said, "That reminds me so much of my mother. She hardly wears dresses, she prefers to wear the tunics and trousers of stallions. She gets so many strange looks, but she says that she couldn't care less what others think. All the other ponyfolk say that it doesn't make sense for a mare to wear stallion clothing...but what fun is there in making sense?" He threw his head back and laughed at this. He said the same thing all the time and to hear it come out of a mare like Fluttershy pulled at his heart. The music changed and slowed to more of a waltz, he looked down at her and sighed. He pulled her even closer and changed the pace of their dancing. She looked up at him then sighed as she rested her head against his chest. His ears fell back as he looked down at her, his arm tightened it's hold on her and he placed a soft kiss on her head. He heard her sigh again at the soft touch and it pierced his heart. She nuzzled his chest and whispered, "Discord…I don't think I've ever been so happy." He groaned and closed his eyes. He began to stroke his paw along her mane and sighed...this was not going to be easy now that he had held her so close again. Dammit Flash...you're not making this any easier on me...How can I tell her to leave when I'm reminded of how right this feels? I know that's what you're trying to do...and dammit...it's working... "Think it's working?" He asked and she hushed him. "Don't talk so loud...you said he has amazing hearing. I would say it's made him see reason again." She smiled as she watched the pair from the cloud they were hiding on. Discord was holding the mare close and he had a dreamy look about him. It looked like he was remembering how much he cared for the mare and it made her smile. She looked at her partner in crime and he was nodding as well. "I guess I can take off the enchantment on those violins now." She indicated the violins hiding behind one of the towers. She cast the spell to end their playing and they settled on the balcony. She smiled and stood up, spreading her wings to leave. "Captain…" She said and he bowed to her and answered, "Princess...thank you for your help." She smiled at him and gave him a mischievous smirk, "Don't thank me yet Flash...I still have plans for you as well." He frowned as she took off in the sky. He watched the Princess of Love fly off and wondered what she had meant by a plan for him. "I have a feeling that it will either be really good or really bad…" Discord stopped moving as he realized the music had ended. The two had continued to move together even after it had stopped. He cleared his throat and pulled back from her. She smiled up at him and he chuckled as he lifted her hoof to place a soft kiss on it. "I guess we should get off the roof now my dear." He whispered and she nodded. He held out his arm and she flew up in the air to hold it. He smiled at her and walked her off the roof. He glanced down at her and frowned, Flash had succeeded in shaking his resolve to push her away. He was so torn at the moment, he wanted to have her as his. To keep her here with him and to love her for all eternity. Then he felt he had to let her go. That she didn't deserve to be stuck in his world of shadows. She was so beautiful she could have any handsome stallion in the world...why would she choose a beast like him? How could he expect her to choose a beast like him? Could he really tie her to a monster for the rest of her days? "Discord...there's...there's something I need to tell you…" She whispered and he froze. He looked down at her and swallowed, now was the moment of truth. The look in her eyes left no doubt for him what she was about to say. He frowned as he realized that now was the time for him to choose. For him to decide what kind of stallion he really was...if he was the good honorable one she wanted him to be...than there was only one thing to do. "No Fluttershy don't…" He turned to face her and placed his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him confused, he swallowed and shook his head. "Darling...please...don't...I was wrong to do this to you…" "Do what? Discord...I don't understand…" She whispered and the sudden hurt in her eyes made him feel like a monster. He sighed and whispered, "Fluttershy...look at me...what do you see?" She looked confused and looked at him as if he had gone mad. "Discord...I see you...that's all...but what…" "Exactly darling. You see me, but not what I am. Fluttershy I was foolish to think I could make you mine…" "But Discord I…" "You deserve so much more than I can offer. I can't let you stay here...tomorrow you will...will leave here." To say that hurt more than he thought it would. She pulled out of his grip and stared up at him shocked. Tears filled her eyes and the sight made him turn his head away. "Discord...why...why after all this...after everything we've...you said you loved me...was it...was it a lie?" His head shot up as he stared at her back, she had turned from him as she said this and his heart broke. He opened his mouth to confirm the lie, but his tongue tied itself in a knot. He growled and used his magic to untie it, he tried again with the same result. He sighed as he realized he couldn't force the words if they weren't true, his magic wouldn't allow it. "No...it wasn't a lie. Fluttershy, I do love you...but that's why I can't let you stay." She turned to look at him and he was surprised that she was so angry. "So you're sending me away!? Why did you drag me through this week then? You told me that you wanted me to love you back, so I could be your queen! What's changed if not your love for me?" He was happy that she was angry, maybe if she remained angry at him it would make this easier...for her...this would never be easier for him. He sighed and reached for her, but she pulled away and continued to glare at him. "Fluttershy...I was selfish. I can't apologize to you enough to make up for the turmoil I put you through. All I can do is make things right...you don't need to be stuck with a monster. Look at you darling, you're beautiful, kind, passionate...everything I don't deserve. So I'm going to do what's best for you and set you free." "And what?! To hell with what I want?" She hollered at him and he actually flinched back, he never expected to hear such language from her, or such volume. She was fuming and there were still tears in her eyes as she glared at him. "Fluttershy...this is hard for me too...but I can't do this anymore. I can't let you continue with this game only for you to be the one hurt in the end...try and understand love…" "Don't call me that! Don't say you love me when it's nothing but a lie!" "That's not true! Dammit Fluttershy I do love you I just…" "You just don't want me here! I was just some entertainment for you! Easy prey right!? Now that I've come to bore you, you're done with me! Is that it?" He growled and grabbed her shoulders, hating to see the tears in her eyes and to hear her talk about herself like that. "No...that's not it at all. I could never bore of you, all I want is for you to be happy. Something you can never find with me...Fluttershy I was wrong to think I could be good enough for you...I can't be the stallion you think I am. I'm sorry...but it's over between us. You can't be my queen, you never could be." His heart shattered at those words, he never thought they would fall from his tongue, but his emotions were so distraught that he wasn't thinking clearly. He swallowed and tried to say something else, but she shocked him further. The slap resounded in the hallway, echoing through the quiet corridors. He lifted his claws to his cheek as she turned from him and flew down the hall crying. He let her go and fell back against the wall. He let his body slide to the floor, still holding the cheek she had slapped. He deserved so much more for the pain he had just caused her, but it was what needed to be done. His heart was shattering into a million pieces as he came to fully realized that by tomorrow she would be gone. Never to return to his life, he was losing his true love and all because his pride and honor wouldn't allow him to take back what had just been said. He laid his arms on his knees and did something he hadn't done since he was a young draconequus. He placed his face against his arms and cried. Twilight sat in the library reading over a new book that had caught her interest as she was returning the other novels they had borrowed. It looked to be a small book explaining some of the history of Draconia. Twilight couldn't pass up the opportunity to learn more about a land as strange as this one. Although it turned out to be shorter than most history books she had read. The door opened and she turned to see Flash walking in, he looked incredibly smug and it made her giggle. "What have you been up to that you look so triumphant?" She asked and he jumped before smiling over at her. He walked over and she felt her cheeks heat up at the look he was giving her. He chuckled and lifted her chin with his hoof and surprised her by placing a soft kiss on her lips. "Only knocking some sense into a stubborn stallion." He chuckled at the confused look she gave him and shook his head. "So what are you doing in here this time? Are you sure you don't want me to give you a tour of the rest of the castle?" "No I like it in here. I feel like I can hide among the different worlds of these books. You know be something I'm not…" She whispered and frowned as she looked at the stallion next to her. She blushed further and decided it was time to stop pretending. "Flash...Can I ask you something?" She whispered and he nuzzled her behind her ear making her flush red. "Of course...anything for you…" She shivered as his warm breath caressed her ear. She swallowed and took all the courage she had in her to whisper. "Do you love me…" She waited for several minutes with her eyes tightly closed as he didn't respond. She chanced a peek at him and he was smiling softly at her. "Good, now that you're looking at me I can answer." He chuckled as she opened her eyes the rest of the way. He lifted her hooves with his and smiled at her, "Twilight, I love you more than words can describe, but I'm going to try. You are the most amazing mare I know and getting to know you this last week has been like a dream. I wouldn't change a single hair on your head, all those other stallions were fools to ignore your vast intelligence. It's what makes you who you are, the mare I love so much. I love you with my whole heart and only hope that you can return that love. Twilight I want to be with you for the rest of my life. I will get down on the floor and beg your mother for the right to marry you. If you will have me...do you love me Twilight?" Her eyes were misting with tears and she kissed him passionately as her answer. He moaned and returned her kiss. She pulled away suddenly and began to hop out of the library. "Oh Flash. You won't have to beg! I'll go tell her now that I've found the stallion I love and the one I want to marry!" She ran out of the library and heard him shout in victory behind her. She also noticed the Cadence was standing near the library and gave her a quick wink before moving off. Fluttershy ran blindly down the hall, she didn't even realize where she was until she slammed herself into a room, thinking it was her own. "Miss Fluttershy...what's wrong?" She jumped and turned to see Captain Flash standing behind her. She looked around and groaned as she realized she had run straight into the library. She tried to hide her face behind her mane, but Flash had already seen her tears. "My queen…" "Oh don't call me that! I can't stand to hear it!" She howled as she threw herself onto the couch and sobbed into the pillows. Flash had started teasing her with the nickname, when Discord wasn't around to hear he would call her that. He said he had to get used to call her his queen anyways. It used to make her giggle and blush as she thought of being Discord's queen. Now it made her heart ache, for she would never be his...he wouldn't have it. She felt a hoof on her head and glanced up to see Flash looking worried as he watched her. She sniffled and tried to stop her tears, but they were never ending. "I'm sorry captain...but...can you please leave me alone…" She whispered and curled up further on the couch. "I'm sorry but...I can't...what happened? When me and Cadence…" He stopped and she looked up shocked. "You planned on getting us to the roof together? Why?" She said, anger creeping back into her voice. He looked away guiltily and cleared his throat, "Well...it's a long story, but I needed her help to make Discord realize that he couldn't sabotage himself again...looks like we failed anyways." Hearing this peaked her interest and she looked at him confused. She sniffled again and wiped away her tears. She sat up and looked at the captain as he stared at the ground sadly. He looked up at her and sighed, "You see Fluttershy...Discord has this problem and it's kind of hard to explain...he has this blockade that he can't get around when it comes to his own happiness. I've seen this so many times before...any time I get close to bringing him into the light he slashes out and crawls back. He stops himself from being happy and I'm afraid he's done that again with you…" She looked at him and thought to her confrontation with Discord. He had seemed so hurt in telling her to leave, as if he didn't really want her to go. He had told her he did love her, but she had been too angry to really believe him. Good heavens she had even struck him! She had never struck anything in her life! "Why...why does he do this?" She whispered and Flash looked away as if uncomfortable. Then he sighed and flew up to one of the bookshelves, but instead of going to the many books on the shelves, he flew to the very top and reached over the wood. She watched fascinated as he pulled a small book that was covered in a heavy layer of dust. He landed and used his wing to brush off the dust. Flash raised his eyes to hers and whispered, "Many books in here are written locally...including this one. Discord believes I destroyed it, but...I hid it instead. Wondering if I would ever need it again, I'm glad I didn't burn it as he ordered me to two years ago." He handed over the book and she took it with shaking hooves. The title was only one word, but it was a word that cut at her heart. 'Monster' She swallowed and ran her hoof over the cover, she was sure she knew the answer, but asked anyways. In a shaking voice she looked up at the retreating stallion and whispered, "Who wrote this?" Flash who had been about to walk out stopped. He looked back at the book then up to her eyes. He sighed and his ears flattened, "Discord…" He growled to himself again as he tossed away a piece of parchment. No matter how hard he tried to focus on his royal duties his mind would betray him with thoughts of her. He sighed and ran his paw through his mane in frustration. He was sitting behind his desk once more, trying to drown himself under the mountain of paperwork waiting for him. He was behind in his duties having been so distracted by… He took in a sharp breath as once again he thought of her. He subconsciously reached up and stroked the cheek she had struck, which still stung to touch. He sighed and took off his glasses again, realizing he had no hope of finishing any work tonight. He rested his face in his hands and fought back the tears threatening to break through. He was so tempted to seek her out and beg her to forgive him, but that would be pointless. He had said those things in order to get her to leave and...he touched his cheek again, he had succeeded. He laid his arms on his desk and buried his head under the limbs. He felt a tear slid out of his tightly shut eyes and it made him growl again. He was lost, he didn't know that it would hurt this much. He knew that she meant a lot to him, but now that she was going to leave...he realized how much he had come to depend on her. She had become his happiness, his joy, his laughter...his love. Now that he knew he was losing her, he realized he was losing everything else along with her. Once she left through those gates, all light in his life would leave with her. He would remain here in his darkness and continue to rule as he always had. The shadow king... The door creaked open slowly and he didn't bother raising his head. Only one pony in the castle entered without knocking and normally it wouldn't bother him, but not tonight. He growled, "Go away Flash…" There was no response, then the door slowly closed and for once it seemed the stallion would listen. Until he heard soft hoofsteps on the floor, moving further into the room. He growled again and shot up out of his seat shouting, "I SAID GET-" He stopped as his eyes widened in shock. It wasn't Flash standing in the center of his chambers, but the mare that was haunting his current thoughts. "Fluttershy…" He whispered as he stared at her. He was almost afraid that this was nothing, but a trick his mind had conjured up to further torment him. They stared at one another, neither saying anything. He didn't know what to say, he hadn't expected to see her again and his heart was pounding so hard he felt like it would burst from the effort. She moved closer to his desk and he didn't know what to do so he continued to stand frozen as he watched her pull something from under her wing. He frowned as she flew up and sat the object on his desk before floating back to the ground, her eyes never left his. He frowned further and silently looked down at the object she had placed on his desk. His breathing stopped as his eyes fell on that hated thing. He fell back into his chair and laid his claws on the book he had written shortly after coming to this land. "Where did you find this?" He rasped and she didn't respond, just continued to stare at him. He picked up the cursed thing and growled as the obvious answer came to him. "Flash...I told him to destroy this thing." He flung the book away from him, it flew past Fluttershy, but she didn't flinch. Her eyes continued to look at him and he growled slightly. "I'm glad he didn't...it helped explain so much…" She whispered and Discord growled louder as he pushed himself out of his chair and moved away from her. He felt the sudden urge for a drink, and he didn't drink often. He went to his cabinet and poured himself a tumbler of whiskey. "Oh really...what did it explain?" He growled sarcastically, keeping his back to her as he threw back the stinging liquid. He flinched as it burned down his throat and settled in his stomach. "Why you look so down on yourself...why you hide away from others...why you refuse to believe that another could love you." She whispered, her voice was still devoid of emotion and it was strange for him to hear her speak like that. He turned his head to stare at her, she hadn't moved from her position. He frowned and poured another drink, he turned to face her completely with it in his paw. "Oh really? Well you're wrong about that my dear. That thing is nothing more than the ramblings of a fool. It should have been destroyed when I said so, but I think I can fix that." His claw began to glow as he aimed it at the book lying on the floor. He sent a burst of energy at it and dropped his drink, the glass shattering, when Fluttershy jumped at the book and picked it up out of the way. She let out a shriek of pain as the blast grazed her wing and burnt her feathers. "Fluttershy! Geez darling why did you…" He was at her side instantly and was using his magic to heal the injured wing. When her feathers were their normal, vibrant color he turned and glared at her. She was glaring back, clutching the book to her chest. "That was stupid…" He growled and it made her eyes narrow further. "So was lying to me." She hissed. He pulled back frowning, "Lying about what? I never…" "When you told me why you don't let others in. You told me because it was hard to see anything other than what they saw...it's not true...Discord you're only seeing what you want to. You call yourself a monster because it's easier than facing the truth!" She shouted the last part at him and dropped the book. She surprised him by throwing her arms around his neck and began to cry into his shoulder. He sat there frozen once more, unsure of how to respond to this sudden change. Luckily he didn't have to say anything as she finished what she had been saying, "Discord...you are the only one who still sees yourself as a monster and so you hide behind that mask anytime someone gets too close. You don't want to risk rejection again as you did in the past...even though there have been many since little Fizzy who have accepted you. They love you because you are no monster...how could you be, when everything you do is for the best of others." She pulled back and placed her hooves on his cheeks and he winced slightly as she touched his tender side. She frowned at this and leaned up to kiss the cheek she had slapped, his face warmed at the contact and he let out a small moan. She looked into his eyes and gave him a weak smile, "Even with me...you told me you didn't want me as your queen because you thought it would be better for me. You were wrong though, I could never be better off without you in my life. You still see yourself as a monster and I have to make you stop. Discord...you are not a monster and have never been one. Despite how you were treated, you've done nothing but good for all those that depend on you. You are a great king and a good friend...and...and the stallion I love with all my heart." His breathing stopped as he stared into her beautiful eyes. She smiled up at him and leaned towards him, her lips slowly moving closer to his. When they were an inch apart she whispered again, "I love you Discord…" XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO Hearing the words that he had wished to hear for the last week snapped his control in half. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him as his lips latched onto hers. She moaned and he responded with a similar sound, he buried his claws in her mane and tilted her head back. He pulled away from her lips and whispered against her fur as he ran his lips along her neck, making her shiver in response. "I'm so sorry my darling...please forgive everything I said earlier. I love you so much and I still want you to stay here with me...even if I don't deserve you, I want you so badly...Fluttershy...say you'll be mine...stay with me...be my queen." She nodded and giggled as he ran his tongue along her neck. She sighed and whispered, her voice thick with desire, "Discord...I would love to be your queen. I love you so much Discord, I'm sorry I didn't say it before now…" He growled and lifted them both up off the floor, holding her flush against him. He returned to her lips and let loose his built up passions. The little touches throughout the week had only built into an uncontrollable inferno and now it was raging through him. He realized that he was slowly moving towards his bedchambers and the sight slammed a brake on his desires. His lion arm shot out and grabbed ahold of the doorframe. He growled, "Fluttershy...you have to stop...tell me to stop...or else…" She cut him off with her lips. She ran her tongue along his lips and he growled in response. She left his lips and nuzzled him under his chin, he groaned and tried to gain control over his body again. "Flutter...Fluttershy...please I can't...I can't stop…" "Don't stop...Discord...I don't want you to…" She whispered and nipped his neck with her tiny teeth, but even that little graze was more than he could ever handle. He released his hold on the doorframe and wrapped his arm around her again, crushing her against him once more. He growled against her lips as he resumed his earlier exploration of the sweet texture. He buried his claws in her mane once more and turned into his chambers, kicking the door closed behind him and doing something he had never done before. Snapping his fingers so the lock was thrown in the door as he laid his sweet prize on his bed.